This programme provides a complete tour to the sacred site of ancient Olympia in the 2nd century BC. Monuments and sacred buildings come to life, enabling visitors to participate in the events and the rituals of the Olympic Games and to learn about the history of the city: the temple of Zeus, a model of Doric peripteral temple with magnificent sculpted decoration, the Heraion, the oldest monumental building of the sanctuary, dedicated to the goddess Hera, the Gymnasium, which was used for the training of javelin throwers, discus throwers and runners, the Palaestra, where the wrestlers, jumpers and boxers trained, the Leonidaion, which was where the official guests stayed, the Bouleuterion, where athletes, relatives and judges took a vow that they would upheld the rules of the Games, the Stadium, where most of the events took place, the Treasuries of various cities, where valuable offerings were kept, the Philippeion, which was dedicated by Philip II, king of Macedonia, after his victory in the battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC.

1 March, 2017 to 31 December, 2022

Info:

A complete digital tour in English to the sacred site of Ancient Olympia in the 2nd century BC.

The city of Miletus on the western coast of Asia Minor, one of the most important cities in Ionia, comes to life again in the Virtual Reality production
“A Walk Through Ancient Miletus”. This production, in the special environment of immersion of “Tholos”, uses some new technical characteristics, which allow the development of multiple directions of digital life in the virtual space and not a predetermined course.

4 September, 2017 to 31 December, 2022

Info:

Starting again in September, guided tours are offered in Greek & English for groups.
At the Virtual Reality programme there is a tour at the meninsula and the city of Miletus, as it was 2,000 years ago. Visitors can explore the virtual city and learn about the most important public buildings. Starting from the gate at the Port of the Lions, they enter the sanctuary of Apollo Delphinios. Then, they visit the Ionian Stoa, which housed the stores of the city, the Hellenistic Gymnasium, the North Agora and the Bouleuterion, being able to see even the details of the buildings' architecture. They can “fly” over the city for one last panoramic view of the perfect city planning design, or even “dive” into its port.

Dinosaurs at Dusk is a 44-min show produced by Mirage3D for digital dome theatres. It is presented at "THOLOS", the Virtual Reality Theater of Hellenic Cosmos.
A learning adventure of a father and his teenage daughter Lucy, who share a fascination for all things that fly.
You’ll travel back in time to meet the pterosaurs and the ancestors of modern-day birds: the feathered dinosaurs. Lucy and her father navigate from continent to continent, looking for clues about the origins of flight.
When time runs out they experience first-hand the cataclysmic “last day” of the dinosaurs.
Science content includes topics such as continental drift, proper motion of stars, asteroids and impacts, extinctions and the convergent development of flight among species.

Join us for a playful stroll from the Ancient Agora to the Herakleidon Museum. Walk with us through the alleyways of Thissio while Hesiod’s poem Theogony unfolds. Follow our actors to Herakleidon Museum’s yard to play the Plato’s Cave allegory. Enjoy a private tour of the Museum’s exhibits. Form a circle and dance to the ancient rhythms. Live the myth! www.thegreekstory.com

Walk with us through the picturesque alley’s of Thissio and get ready for the myth of Theogony to be replayed before your eyes. Our stroll will lead to the museum Herakleidon. There, you will be treated with “nectar” (cold herbal tea), before the main act – “The allegory of Plato’s Cave” – unfolds. Through this experience you will gain a deeper understanding of the allegory. We will help you see beyond the shadows, towards the true essence of being.

Such an apocalypse calls for an ancient greek dance! Let’s celebrate life… in a dancing circle! Sit back, reflect and discuss, with ancient Greek sweets (ancient recipes: of course ;-)).

Now let’s leave the magnificent pebbled courtyard of the museum and see what the first floor has to offer us…”EUREKA”. This exhibition “Automata” presents reproductions of famous automated ancient machines, which were used to predict physical phenomena or just to impress others. Our actors will showcase the use of the most known specimens, such us the walking robot of Hero and Philo, and the Antikythera Mechanism. Let us show you how diachronic the ancient wisdom is and how you can savour the best of it.

The event is written and directed by the well-known theatrical director Nikos Amoyntzas. Our greek master and author Eleni Orithia Koulizaki has curated the details of the event to ensure the historical accuracy of the participatory play. The event is produced by Effrosyni Charami and Nikos Amoyntzas.

Departs on Monday, Tuesday, 5:30pm June, July, August of 2020
Departs on Monday, Tuesday, 3:30pm May, September of 2020

Additional Info
Confirmation will be received at time of booking. This event is appropriate for teenagers over the age of 14. Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair.
The play will be held in English, a basic knowledge of the language is required.
Recording (audiotaping or videotaping) during the performance is not allowed.
There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if group capacity is not met or due to rainy weather. In the event of such an occurrence, you will be offered an alternative or a full refund.
This group activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers.

Plato’s Cave event is held for the causes of ΕΝ.Π.ΑΝ. (Associations for Culture & Development)

Cancellation Policy
All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.

4 May, 2020 to 29 September, 2020

Info:

Join us for a playful stroll from the Ancient Agora to the Herakleidon Museum. Walk with us through the alleyways of Thissio while Hesiod’s poem Theogony unfolds. Follow our actors to Herakleidon Museum’s yard to play the Plato’s Cave allegory. Enjoy a private tour of the Museum’s exhibits. Form a circle and dance to the ancient rhythms. Live the myth! www.thegreekstory.com

Organization / Production:

ΕΝΠΑΝ

Venue:

Herakleidon Museum

Language:

English

Duration:

2,5

Hours:

Departs on Monday, Tuesday, 5:30pm June, July, August of 2020, Departs on Monday, Tuesday, 3:30pm May, September of 2020

Under the Auspices of H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou and His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

On Wednesday 13 May 2020 the Benaki Museum welcomes the exhibition Robert McCabe – Katerina Lymperopoulou ‘The last monk of Strofades’. Since museums in Greece remain temporarily closed, a video marks the opening of the exhibition, offering to public an online experience through unique shots of the works and the exhibition space. As soon as museums reopen and until 13 September 2020, the exhibition will welcome visitors at the S. & E. Costopoulos Gallery at the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture.

While museums in Greece remain temporarily closed, the public may experience the exhibition through unique shots of the works and the exhibition space at benaki.org/Strofades.

14 May, 2020 to 13 September, 2020

Info:

The exhibition refers to the history of a monastic complex (a fortified monastery) of unique historical, architectural and cultural significance dating back to the 13th century. This complex dominates a secluded corner of the Ionian Sea, a small island – just one-third the length of a typical airport runway. It is the islet of Stamfani in the Strofades complex. Despite its diminutive size, the island has a unique history and preserves rich flora and fauna, thank to its remarkable geological features.

Today, this monumental complex poses a huge challenge for Greece. Decisions must be taken promptly. The monastery is in critical condition, with an urgent need for restoration after two catastrophic earthquakes. The next one could spell the end of it. The island has strong links with St Dionysios, who served as a monk starting in 1568 and at his request was buried there. But in 1717 his relics and the seat of the monastery were “temporarily” transferred to neighboring Zakynthos after the monks were slaughtered during a brutal raid.

Could the complex come to life again as a functioning monastery?

Photographs selected by Robert McCabe and research by a team of experts organized by Katerina Lymperopoulou bring the island and its issues to life. The exhibition is in a sense a tribute to the last monk of the Strofades, who maintained the complex basically alone for almost 38 years and was a compelling but lonely voice for its restoration. In addition to Stamfani’s human history the exhibition will illuminate its remarkable and unexpected rôle in the natural world as an important migratory bird station and the site of one of the most significant forests in western Greece.

The Anthropocene (/ænˈθrɒp.əˌsiːn) was popularised as an environmental term at the dawn of the 21st century by Paul Crutzen, the Dutch Nobel laureate and pioneer on atmospheric chemistry; it constitutes a proposed geological epoch that starts with the beginning of the first important human impact on Earth's geology and ecosystems, including climate change caused by human activity.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organisation officially declared the outbreak of a new virus, under the name covid-19, a pandemic. The invisible threat has taken its toll on human life and safety, as well as global economy and collective action, forcing isolation or restricted access to public areas as precautionary measures. Vacant, desolate streets and cities in the midst of social distress, financial uncertainty and climate crisis, echo the urban void and the urgency to remain vigilant and socially alert.

During the unsettling times of a global pandemic and national lockdowns, which seem to have emerged out of dystopic fiction, what does it mean for earth and the anthropocene to remain on hold? Which are the challenges and the environmental concerns that are raised for an artist? How can social distancing and quarantine reshape artistic practices and environmental narratives? In which ways can covid-19 impact environmental crisis and our general perception of the issue?

In response to this unprecedented and urgent situation and its toll on the planet’s well-being and safety, PCAI, on the occasion of the Anthropocene On Hold exhibition, has invited 20 international visual artists to address the gravity of a global pandemic and its impact on art engagement and production as well as earth’s resilience and sustainability. James Bridle, Ionian Bisai & Sotiris Tsiganos, Matthias Fritsch, Kyriaki Goni, Markus Hanakam & Roswitha Schuller, Hypercomf, Rindon Johnson, Evi Kalogiropoulou, Lito Kattou, Bianca Kennedy and the Swan Collective, Marcin Liminowicz & Trang Ha, Charly Nijensohn, Kosmas Nikolaou, Ira Schneider, Andrew Norman Wilson participate with new works in PCAI’s first online group exhibition curated by Kika Kyriakakou; an ongoing digital project that will be hosted on PCAI’s YouTube Channel (youtube.com/channel/UCKThYXergdup6X4g6ndTC2w) from May 14 to December 31, 2020.

MORE ABOUT PCAI

Polyeco Contemporary Art Initiative (PCAI), was founded in 2014 by Athanasios Polychronopoulos, Polyeco Group Executive Chairman, as a means to increase environmental awareness through contemporary art and video. The organisation implements its objectives though three areas of activity: its mainly commissioned-based Art Collection, its Projects and its Support. Since 2018 PCAI has been a member of the International Association of Corporate Collections of Contemporary Art IACCCA and it has been awarded for its art projects, educational programs and partnerships on many occasions. Kika Kyriakakou, PCAI’s Artistic Director, initiated in 2019 through an open call the organisation’s artist-in-residence programme focusing on the interaction between contemporary art and environmental consciousness. The selection committee, consisting of Hans Ulrich Obrist, Serpentine Galleries Artistic Director, Krist Gruijthuijsen, KW Institute for Contemporary Art Director, and the PCAI Directors, chose artists Rindon Johnson and Lito Kattou to participate in the residency programme taking place in 2020.